Request: Home Theater setup recommendations

[rpc64]

I'm looking to possibly buy a new home theater setup within the next couple months. I don't really know a whole lot about home theater stuff as far as brands and models and what works well together and how much it all costs. But I do know what I am looking for so maybe someone can recommend me some components.

What I want:

-I want a 5.1 setup
-I will probably be buying a receiver and speakers as opposed to the HT in a box because I use my xbox as a media center.
-I need good bang for the buck stuff. I don't need anything that is really loud or has a lot of power because I'm going to be in an apartment. So power/volume are not things that I need but what I want is sound QUALITY.
-I want to spend as little as possible.

I would appreciate any help you guys can give me.

 

[Juice Box]

I'm thinking..... wrong forum

 

[rpc64]

What forum should it go in? We don't have any non-computer related home electronics type forum here. And I see HT threads in here all the time....

 

[Anubis]

how much you wanna spend

 

[EvilYoda]

But the question is, how many of those threads do you see that are actually helpful?

There are simply way too many options out there to tell you what to get...take a step into a store, listen to some things. If money is the only deciding factor, feel free to buy everything sight unseen...refurb/b-stock, used speakers...I wouldn't suggest it, but that's what the internet's good for.

Don't you worry though, there will be plenty of people in here soon to tell you what to buy

 

[rpc64]

Ok lets's start with this: What's a cheap but not totally crappy 5.1 receiver?

 

[Rallispec]

whats your budget

http://www.hometheaterspot.com/

 

[TechnoKid]

denon 3805 $1199
or
denon 2805 $899
or
denon 2105 $649

Then get a paradigm speaker package, unless you want to buy the main and surrounds and subwoofer seperate, but keep them all the same brand for the speakers to maintain tonal balance, sub doesn't matter as much. Buy some 12 or 14 gauge speaker cable from homedepot (its called superflex from carol, it has a thick insulation. Don't get the one with thin insulation; it will yellow and green b/c of reaction with copper). Throw in a decent surge protector.

Also, go to your local library or book store. Pick up a magazine called Sound and Vision, they usually review a HTIB or a speaker package from various manufacturers a month. You can even check them on the web. http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/

 

[apac]

Originally posted by: Rallispec
whats your budget

http://www.hometheaterspot.com/

Yep need a budget. A $1500 budget is a completely different ballpark than a $500 one.

 

[EvilYoda]

As much as I love the Denons...they aren't in his price range, I imagine. And of all review magazines, you refer SaV? how about TAS or Stereophile first...SaV is mostly fluff, but fun to read if you have an hour to burn.

In terms of saving money, you'll be finding a lot of older generation receivers getting phased out since the industry's season is the fall/holiday season. You can hunt around avsforum and HTF for people upgrading, or clearance prices at places like onecall. I still say you should listen to what you buy first.

 

[Falloutboy]

go with a Panny XR50 receaver as for speakers i'm not sure.

I went with some Radioshack LX-10 Mains, CS-5 Center, and CS-5's on thier side for rear sorounds unfortionatly non of these speakers are made anymore and if your find them thier too expensive now to be worth it. I got all these speakers for a 100 bucks from my boss when I worked at radioshack.

 

[spidey07]

decent receiver = 1000 bucks.

decent set of speakers = 2000 bucks.

decent sub = 500 bucks.

knock yourself out. Denor, HK or pioneer elite with some rockets would be great, or maybe polk LSi.

 

[TechnoKid]

Originally posted by: EvilYoda
As much as I love the Denons...they aren't in his price range, I imagine. And of all review magazines, you refer SaV? how about TAS or Stereophile first...SaV is mostly fluff, but fun to read if you have an hour to burn.

In terms of saving money, you'll be finding a lot of older generation receivers getting phased out since the industry's season is the fall/holiday season. You can hunt around avsforum and HTF for people upgrading, or clearance prices at places like onecall. I still say you should listen to what you buy first.

well, SaV is more geared toward the average consumer, imo. I feel that they review stuff that I could, someday, actually afford. I trust their data from the reviews and their review methods, and the data they get from test equipment can't necessarily be wrong if they are using industry testing equipment. Of course anything/everything else is always subjective, and I tend to make my own opinions about a piece of equipment (or cd/dvd that they review too) in addition to taking into account the review they did. Plus its $12 a year to subscribe. I like hometheater mag, but haven't been subsribed to it lately. i do read it whenever I go to the bookstore.

 

[apac]

Originally posted by: Falloutboy
go with a Panny XR50 receaver as for speakers i'm not sure.

I went with some Radioshack LX-10 Mains, CS-5 Center, and CS-5's on thier side for rear sorounds unfortionatly non of these speakers are made anymore and if your find them thier too expensive now to be worth it. I got all these speakers for a 100 bucks from my boss when I worked at radioshack.

Case in point regarding budget . If anything, I'd recommend some sort of Denon/Yamaha/Onkyo/Harmon Kardon receiver because they accurately reflect continuous wattage. The panasonic/sony/etc receivers claim "200 watts!" but that's maximum output, and the actual wattage could be anywhere in that range. If you're not an audiophile just keep in mind higher CONTINUOUS wattage = better.

In terms of speakers well...you get what you pay for. Just avoid Bose .

 

[mrCide]

i just purchased klipsch's new synergy line from best buy, 2xF3, 1xC1, 2xS1 .. $1250.. purchased an HK AVR630 to power em. $560 on ebay from HK authorized seller 'harmanaudio' .. its beautiful.

 

[Falloutboy]

Originally posted by: apac

Originally posted by: Falloutboy
go with a Panny XR50 receaver as for speakers i'm not sure.

I went with some Radioshack LX-10 Mains, CS-5 Center, and CS-5's on thier side for rear sorounds unfortionatly non of these speakers are made anymore and if your find them thier too expensive now to be worth it. I got all these speakers for a 100 bucks from my boss when I worked at radioshack.

Case in point regarding budget . If anything, I'd recommend some sort of Denon/Yamaha/Onkyo/Harmon Kardon receiver because they accurately reflect continuous wattage. The panasonic/sony/etc receivers claim "200 watts!" but that's maximum output, and the actual wattage could be anywhere in that range. If you're not an audiophile just keep in mind higher CONTINUOUS wattage = better.

In terms of speakers well...you get what you pay for. Just avoid Bose .

umm go to avsforum.com to check out the XR-50 very highly rated receaver. also the plus with the XR-50 is its a digital receaver so if your using a digital source it never needs to be converted to analog which helps alot. granted its actual RMS watts are around 35watts but be honest with your self 5 clean watts is all most people ever need, and will drive most effecient speakers well over 100db

 

[spidey07]

umm, 5 watts? Over 100 db?

Think again. In my theater 200+ watts per channel is hardly enough.

It is my opinion that unless you have VERY efficient speakers like horns you need at least 100+ watts per channel to have undistorted reference volume at the listening position.

 

[Sepen]

I have had Denon and Yamaha receivers can't go wrong with either. I always have had Paradigms. Many different flavors..at many price ranges.

 

[Falloutboy]

i'm talking clean true RMS not like most receavers saying thier receaver has 100watts of continues watts per channel. a way to find out about how loud your speakers will be is look at the sensitivity of the speakers. mine are 90db so that means at 1 watt thier that loud. now for every 3db you need double the watts. so at 93db I'd need 2 watts. and at 106db about 32watts., which i've had my system up to once or twice with a db meter and let me since the OP is in a apartment he won't need anymore volume than this. I normally listen around 95db which requires around 5 watts of power

 

[oneshot47]

Originally posted by: TechnoKid
denon 3805 $1199
or
denon 2805 $899
or
denon 2105 $649

Then get a paradigm speaker package, unless you want to buy the main and surrounds and subwoofer seperate, but keep them all the same brand for the speakers to maintain tonal balance, sub doesn't matter as much. Buy some 12 or 14 gauge speaker cable from homedepot (its called superflex from carol, it has a thick insulation. Don't get the one with thin insulation; it will yellow and green b/c of reaction with copper). Throw in a decent surge protector.

Also, go to your local library or book store. Pick up a magazine called Sound and Vision, they usually review a HTIB or a speaker package from various manufacturers a month. You can even check them on the web. http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/

^^

 

[faZZter]

Get a high current receiver like Onkyo or Harmon Kardon.....they do have some in a decent pricerange and sound great.

 

[TechnoKid]

Originally posted by: Falloutboy
i'm talking clean true RMS not like most receavers saying thier receaver has 100watts of continues watts per channel. a way to find out about how loud your speakers will be is look at the sensitivity of the speakers. mine are 90db so that means at 1 watt thier that loud. now for every 3db you need double the watts. so at 93db I'd need 2 watts. and at 106db about 32watts., which i've had my system up to once or twice with a db meter and let me since the OP is in a apartment he won't need anymore volume than this. I normally listen around 95db which requires around 5 watts of power

Hmm...I bet that wattage goes up when there is some bass involved. If what you are saying is true, then people who do SPL competitions are going WAAAAY overboard with something like 1000watts into a single 12" sub, right? Different frequncies draw differnt amounts of power.

 

[Falloutboy]

because the scale isn't linear. it double for every 3db because although I can get 106db with 32watts. to get too 116db I'd need 320watts. to get 126db i'd need 3200watts. granted thier are other things at play here, such as in a car thiers a thing called cabin gain which further increases volume. Also another thing to keep in mind subs competition subs often have very good efficency. I'm basing this on my 90db speakers which aren't that efficent since they require 4 times the power of a 96db speaker to reach any certain volume.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Falloutboy
i'm talking clean true RMS not like most receavers saying thier receaver has 100watts of continues watts per channel. a way to find out about how loud your speakers will be is look at the sensitivity of the speakers. mine are 90db so that means at 1 watt thier that loud. now for every 3db you need double the watts. so at 93db I'd need 2 watts. and at 106db about 32watts., which i've had my system up to once or twice with a db meter and let me since the OP is in a apartment he won't need anymore volume than this. I normally listen around 95db which requires around 5 watts of power

You're forgetting that sound attentuates with distance. I belive 3 db per meter.

 

[Goosemaster]

there is no point in saying a damn word if I price is not mentioned.